Vampire Knight: Blood Next To Sin
by Tsukiko x3
Summary: Zero is sent to the Night Class, finally, after a long wait. How will this sudden event make Yuuki feel? And when she's told a new prefect will be replacing Zero? ZeroxYuuki.
1. First Night

**Prolouge**

It was like a resemblance of a soft cloud, as it hung so low, yet so high, in the vast night sky. White. Pale. A selenite rock of stone. Crystalic. But, it's existence seemed to display that of one who is…tormented by loneliness. It's pure seen giving vivid color to the pitch empty dark; like a small flicker of hope. Peaceful, quiet, unmoving. As my eyes glinted faintly from gazing upon the "cloud" so intensely, I realized then, how greatly I would miss your presence. And, the loathe of it's heart-reading disappearance. Four years of being by your side…and you, by mine. Four years into four hours. Four minutes…four seconds. Never have I desired for the wind-wisping night to not come to a curtain-closing end as strongly I did tonight. Because after tonight…this last night…it'd only be me and the night's "cloud." Silently, sorrowfully, with sympathy, of understanding one another's pain of the cell of solitude. A pitch tranquility by unbreakable chains of frozen shackles.

**First Night**

Cross Academy seemed to glimmer with extraordinary—or rather, unordinary—mystical airs tonight. The wind swaying in unison of an unknown voice singing a heart-throbbing melodious song. But the only and absolute figures present at the heinous beautiful night, was that of the bloodthirsty—always craving with lust for that velvet liquid, blood—vampires. The presence, existence, even the faintest glimpse of a lucky sight of these graceful, majestic creatures set the whole academy as sundered with utmost respect, and highly exceptional adoration and admiration. Here, at Cross Academy, they were known as students attending the "Night Class." All of the Day Class, giggling, girls, made a horrendous fuss over these superbly beautiful, (as if the word "flaw" had no contradiction to them) students, that prefects, or "school guardians", had to be a must-hired to control the girl's ridiculous prancing upon these graceful people. Those prefects were only but two of the average, extremely low in-class, Day Class students: Cross Yuuki, and, her "partner" (as Yuuki bashfully referred to him as), Kiryuu Zero. Yuuki was the adopted daughter of the Headmaster, who ran and established Cross Academy a nigh few years ago. "Adopted," yes, because, prior to an event that maliciously occurred ten years ago, young innocent Yuuki was brought into Headermaster Cross's care and homely warmth. But that event was the last image in Yuuki's fractured mind, as she could no longer remember anything or anyone before it took place. Broken, lost memories. Zero, on the other hand, was bestowed with much worse misfortune, as a collision of deceitful trickery robbed him of his family right before his fright-filled eyes. A rampaging vampire gone berserk and losing it's sanity, ravaged the Kiryuu's home, mercilessly killing the family that Zero cherished. But, one way or the other, Zero somehow had survived the vicious attack, and was then too taken into Headmaster Cross's care. Consequently, he did not escape unscathed. For the vampire had devoured his own luscious blood, thus changing Zero's course of life for forever.

However, now, tracing back to the melodious night at mysterious Cross Academy, there was, among these elegant vampires, as ascribed earlier in the context, a mere two humans. Yes, they were, without a shadow of a doubt, the two diligent prefects who protected the academy, and it's secret, with quiet ease. The hidden secret of the witty Day Class never discovering that, in the face of truth, the Night Class were all vampires. Beautiful elite students who are intelligently knowledgeable—that, is what the Day Class assumed (and were told) that these mystical vampires were.

"Everything is peaceful tonight." Yuuki's voice resounded as her and Zero stood amidst between the courtyard that divided the Sun and Moon Dormitories. Zero did not utter a single word of Yuuki's statement as his vermillion eyes glistened with the moon's shining radiance; casting long, gleaming strokes upon the night. What could be on his perhaps too-serious mind as a lost tint of hollow sorrow shadowed his face? His silver-gray hair obscured his stern expression with a graceful swift as he turned and looked at Yuuki, who stood a few yards away from him. The naïve prefect brandished Artemis; her weaponry of an iron rod, to evade back unexpected attacks that may occur during the duty of the prefect's night patrolling. She gripped the end of the rod in small, but strong, hands tightly in a horizontal angle. Presently, she noticed Zero's firm eyes gazing at her melancholy, who seemed to appear as one who is hypnotized.

"H-Hey, Zero!" Yuuki stammered, her cheeks flushing to an undetectable faint pink. "What're you looking at?" She impatiently trotted up the stricken Zero—clanging Artemis on the ground in a careful maneuver—as she waved her flimsy hand in front of his awry face childishly. As if shaken out of a deep theoretical thought of complicated direness, Zero grabbed Yuuki's waving hand, holding it by the wrist tightly, but with such careful gentleness.

"Yuuki." He spoke above a whisper in a soft tone of voice, like a cooing pigeon. Yuuki paused in her actions abruptly as Zero still gripped her wrist in his hand's own grasp.

"W-what, Zero?" She managed to smile nervously as she felt her heart begin to beat in a tedious pace, for, some unknown reason; even unto herself.

"You seem depressed about something!" She kindly, not in a rude manner, wretched her tingling wrist from Zero's contemplating sudden reaction of grabbing it a mere minute before.

"I'm sorry." He said, still in a low voice as his pale face looked away from her distantly. Yuuki opened her wry mouth to speak, but then dimly shut it as she quietly reached her hand over; alighting it in a seemingly sympathetic way on top of Zero's head. Zero did not even flinch or move his hand away in cold reaction, like Yuuki had suspected with blunt dryness. But then again…perhaps "he" was not so cold towards "she" as might have been crucially concluded.

"I need to tell you something." Zero's deep, but light, voice broke the silence like a very fragile piece of ice about to break even by the small movement. Without even giving the bewildered Yuuki a chance to reply, he nimbly grabbed her hand and began to pull her as such a strong force that Yuuki did not even (surprisingly) want to contrive a rebuking speech. She only wondered, whilst this long-term friend of hers held her own hand so tightly and warmly, why her own heart's beat resounded so loudly within her chest. It's just Zero, right? This…beating…this frailty and wavering nervousness…the only time she had ever felt these two consecutive emotions was when she was solely, and only with…Kaname.

Zero began to pull Yuuki further and further away from the territory, so to say, of where the Night's Class' Moon dormitory was; and, the building where their advanced sophisticated classes were held in session. Much to Yuuki's growing displeasure, and the oblivious annoyed feeling deflecting on Zero's strange sudden behavior, she reluctantly let Zero drag her on her feet all the way to the entrance door of Headmaster Cross's—also known as foster father—office.

"The Headmaster?" Yuuki thought to herself quizzically as Zero put his other hand on the knob of the door, turning it slowly, as the door opened most quietly. The Headmaster, who, seemed quite busy, sat at his desk working diligently, or so it would appear. He looked up with a sly cunning grin on his glassed-face as he saw Zero and Yuuki enter his…"humble" office.

"Yuuki!" He exclaimed lovingly, most enthused, as he rose to his feet in a reproachful manner. "And Kiryuu-kun." He added unlovingly, most unenthused.

"Head-" Yuuki began saying, but then stopped abruptly and checked herself, as she continued on with a forced smile, "F-Father…" The Headmaster seemed to leap for joy at that one, single word spoken by his most beloved cherished daughter, as he also exclaimed once again, in the happiest of tones,

"Yuuki called me 'father'!" Quite contrary, he was indeed, obviously, making too big a deal out of the whole conniving matter.

"R-Right…" Yuuki responded with a now, weak, if not embarrassed, smile splayed across her flushed face. "A-Anyway! Zero's acting like a total weirdo!" She jerked her hand out of his in a repulsive manner, quite forgetting in all of the hustle and bustle of conversation that they were even still holding one another's hands. She defiantly pointed at the empty-faced Zero—who's violet eyes now gazed distantly away again—as if she were issuing a serious task for him to accomplish.

"He's acting all depressed! Saying, 'I'm sorry.' Then, then! Grabbing my hand rudely, telling me he needs to tell me something, and the pulling me all the way here to your office!" She ended her odorous explanation with puffs and gasps of small breaths as Zero, secretly looked at her out of the corner of his eye. A very unnoticeable, small smile escaped from his lips at Yuuki's component behavior of flustering.

"Yes, that's right." The Headmaster remarked in some agreeable way as his glasses gleamed with sheen. "I wanted to talk to you and Kiryuu-kun tonight." Yuuki looked up at the Headmaster with eyes of sheer confusion at the ponderment of his words, which left her even more stricken; thriving for what he meant in his speech.

"Talk to…Zero and me?" She asked slowly, as if suspicious of some none-serious scheme of her predictable father. The Headmaster looked at the still distant Zero, as he shifted his gaze back to Yuuki solemnly. The seriousness that the Headmaster displayed, from his usual nocturnal behavior, frightened Yuuki in a weird, vague way.

"After tonight, starting tomorrow tonight, Kiryuu-kun will be…" he paused, as Yuuki screamed inside of herself demandingly,

"What?! What?!"

"…attending the Night Class." The last few words fell from his lips in a seemingly somberly tone as Yuuki's body, thoughts, and feelings rejected them in disbelief, and utter ignorance.

"Z-Zero will…be…w-what?" Her words spoke so weakly, as if they came from a very lament of sorrowful verses; conveying into mixed feelings of sudden unexpected sadness, and a splash of dread. An excruciating pain slowly began to pull at her heartstrings deviously.


	2. Second Night

**Second Night**

Yes, that's right. That berserk insane "rampaging" vampire that murdered the Kiryuu family (except for Zero), and had bitten Zero himself with it's bloodthirsty fangs, was a rare pureblood. Pureblood vampires have the incredible ability of being able to turn mere humans into their own malicious kind. That is, vampires themselves; by just simple sinking their fangs into their skin, and devouring their blood like a beast. Zero resisted back the vampire instincts that lay harbored deeply inside of him for four whole years. But now…

"Kiryuu-kun will be attending the Night Class after tonight." The Headmaster said again. Those distasteful, unwanted words, which shook Yuuki with disdain. "Tomorrow will be his last day in the Day Class."

"H-Headmaster!" Yuuki now exclaimed with such a strong force conviction of efficiency. "Zero…Zero…" Her firm voice wavered into a quivering one. She looked at Zero with eyes full of lost and fear. Zero returned her gaze with eyes that seemed to speak in a way of asking for forgiveness.

"Z-Zero! It's not true, right?!" Her gaze was now fixated on him intently.

"Yuuki…" Zero replied slowly, as if saying her very name was cherishable. "Yes. It's true. Headmaster…" he darted his steady glance away from the stricken Yuuki. "The Headmaster and I talked about it a week ago. And…agreed this."

"A…week? W-why didn't you say anything? Why do you want to go to the Night Class? Why—"

"I don't _want _to go." Zero interrupted Yuuki's list of constant questions, but seemingly in a gentle manner and tone of voice.

"But what about being a prefect?!"

"I've already arranged that." The Headmaster suddenly broke in; disputing the conversation of the two. "My nephew will be attending the Day Class starting next week. Yuuki, he will replace Zero as the second prefect of Cross Academy."

"Replace…Zero…?" Yuuki stuttered quietly like one who was just treacherously betrayed.

"I'm sorry, Yuu—"

"Father! How could you do this?! No one can replace Zero just like that!" She shouted in an angry tone of such fierceness as she clenched her fists, her face flourishing hotly red.

"Kiryuu-kun also agreed." The matter-of-fact voice that the Headmaster addressed that sentence in added all the more rage to Yuuki's anger; a hidden streak of secret grief dwelled within her also. Yuuki looked at the two of them, Zero and the Headmaster, with such a melancholic expression as she swiftly turned her back repulsively. Aiming with the full intention to leave this room that was horrendously filled with deceitful lies. But in that split second, as she just turned the door knob to leave, she suddenly felt a strong hand grasp her own as she knew it almost instantly that it was Zero. Without even looking back, she quietly said, trying to sound calm,  
"Let go, Zero."

Zero did not say anything in reply to Yuuki's unsettling behavior as she jerked her hand away this time sharply and unhesitantly, and left the room with a bam from the door's shutting.

"Oh! Yuuki is really upset!" The Headmaster said with a sigh of contempt. "But…it couldn't be helped. She _needed _to know."

The room was silent, as Zero still only started at the door with an empty face, as if filled with regret.

"Kiryuu-kun?"

"Just make sure…that Yuuki is still safe when I'm gone." Zero finally spoke in a resentful tone, as he, too, turned the knob of the door and left resoundely; leaving the Headmaster pretty awe-strucken from the unexpected turn of events that this news brought between to the two of them. Especially for Yuuki.

* * *

"Why? Why would Zero agree to go to the Night Class?" Yuuki thought to herself still with slightly enraged emotions as she ran across the Day Class campus to the far side of the main academy building. She slumped down back to back against a tree as if weak and wrought with an illness.

"I don't understand." She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin upon her crossed arms. The only thing present and existent in the black tainted sky was the illuminating moon. No glistening stars to accompany it with radiance. It was lonely, as Yuuki looked up at it's silent calmness, feeling that same cold placid emotion. Unexpectedly to herself, she felt two single tears well up in her weary dark eyes, slowly, as if reluctantly, sliding down her pale cheeks. Zero…for him to suddenly disappear from her side, just like that, leaving a scarred Yuuki behind to torment in a pool of solitude…

"Zero...!" Yuuki cried to herself, holding her hand over her mouth to quiet the sobbing. In that moment, that trembling moment, as her fingers touched her lips somberly, she suddenly vividly remembered that time…that time when Zero had gently took her face between his two hands softy; an unspoken kiss almost elapsing from his lips to hers. The image of that unknown Zero marred Yuuki's mind everyday with confusion and slight tint of embarrassed nervousness. Her emotions and feelings towards Zero changed drastically since that night, as she felt her heart grow stronger and stronger with loving affection. Until, she knew that those feelings were no longer shallow and barely visible. She painstakingly realized, almost with doubt, that she…unquestionably did love the friend of hers with a compassionate enthrallment. Yes…Yuuki could no longer deny these harbored feelings of loving Zero.

"Yuuki." A sudden voice of word calling her name in the dark broke Yuuki's train of thought, throwing her back into the world. Yuuki, of course, knew who it was judging by their voice. Like a stubborn child who's resenting a scolding, she heedlessly ignored Zero's presence as he stood next to her now, under the pitch sky. Together.

"You're mad at me, aren't you?" He said quietly, with no hint of anger himself in his settle tone. This surprised Yuuki, as she realized the kindness that conveyed his words and actions. "It's for the best."

"How?" The shaken, now more calm, Yuuki said in a single demanding syllable.

"Yuu—"

"Z-Zero! You think that you can just leave me like this?" She moved her hand in a slow motion, grabbing Zero's own that hung at his side lifelessly. Zero looked down at her—as she still sat against the tree—with a face of seeking repentance. Anxiety welled up in his eyes. Yuuki looked back at the vampire with a seemingly desperate face, and, Zero also noted the wetness upon her cheeks that glistened ever so slightly in the faint moonlight. Tears…the thought and realization of knowing that Yuuki was, had, been crying bewildered him inside.

"Yuuki. I once asked you what am I to you." He suddenly bent down on his knees, gripping her hand in a tighter grip, face to face with her now. Yuuki felt her face flush yet again, reverting to a crimson color, as she also felt idiotic because she _knew _that Zero would most certainly notice. She also hoped with intent exasperation that he would not notice or hear the beating of her timid heart.

"And what is your answer?" Zero lightly, so very lightly, rubbed his forehead against Yuuki's as she felt his silky hair sweep over her red cheek.

"I-I…" Yuuki stammered, her throat becoming hoarse with dryness, as she could say nothing more. Zero's sudden action flustered her so very nervously.

"It doesn't matter." He whispered softly, then pulled away from Yuuki silently, and smiled with a small smile upon his face. He stood up, releasing Yuuki's hand in the process.

"Let's get back on patrol. I'll head over to the Moon Dormitory on the Night Class's grounds. You patrol the Sun Dorm." He left abruptly, without saying any more as Yuuki still sat against the same tree, very, very dazed and confused with what had just occurred. She moved her hand up to her now hot forehead, in a quick movement, and sighed with perplexity. "Z-Zero…"

She stood up now herself, stiffly sore from sitting back to back with the rough tree for so long.

"You ask me that…and I think…I know the answer now." She put her hand on her chest, as the thumping in it began to slowly decrease. She sighed once more, and then proceeded with her bountiful duties of a prefect of Cross Academy. Knowing, that, in the deep vast recesses of her mind, that this would be the last night with Zero as her despitefully, jokingly nicknamed, "partner."


	3. Third Night

**Third Night**

The dark luminous night dawned into a radiant sunny morning as Yuuki lay snug in her warm bed under comforting covers. She had only just gotten into bed a mere hour ago, tired from the night patrolling—being a prefect sure was tedious work, or so it would appear. But in no time, she self someone shaking her shoulder gently as she heard a voice whisper into her ear,

"Yuuki, class starts in twenty minutes."

Yuuki knew that it was Yori, her best friend in the academy, and her dormitory room partner.

"If you don't wake up, you're going to be late." Yuuki heard the noises of textbooks being shoved into a bag, and then the footsteps of Yori as the door creaked open. "You already missed breakfast, so…Jeez, Yuuki, I feel sorry for you." She heard a soft giggle escape from Yori lips in a jokingly friendly manner. "Well, see you in class."

The door shut with another creak as Yori's footsteps descending down the wood paneled hallway decreased in sound in a matter of seconds. Yuuki did not want to go to class. She did not want to wake up. Ever. Remaining in a tranquil dream of pleasurable sleep. The sudden news of Zero entering the Night Class still strewn her with beads of sorrow deeply. Tonight. Yes, it was _tonight. _Tonight, Yuuki would be the only prefect patrolling the grounds of the academy in the cold night. Alone. Zero…Zero would be in the mysterious Night Class…with all of the other high aristocrat…vampires. That's right; Zero was a vampire himself now. He fell short of the existence known as "human." Well, he still was a human, but now he also acquired a beasties side; the beast within him that lusted and thirst for the crimson metallic liquid; blood. Zero was now different from Yuuki. That much was certain. With much exhilarating effort, Yuuki climbed out of her bed sluggishly, dressed properly with the academy's appointed uniform, and then rushed to class to commence her _forced_ studies. But she only approached these studies with a meager cautious anticipation.

The first thing that Yuuki noticed as she stepped into the classroom is that Zero was nowhere within sight.

"He could just be late…" She thought as she set her set of textbooks on her desk, and took a seat next to Yori.

"Hey, you made it on time." Yori said quietly, hinting sarcasm in that aspect. Yuuki feigned a small wry smile at her friend as her eyes wandered across the room hazily. Still no Zero. She bit her lip slightly in a worried notation.

"All right." The teacher addressed the class with a tap of his fingers clacking on the wood desk loudly. Yuuki's thoughts relapsed back as she looked at their teacher as he continued on with his address:

"I just thought I'd point this out and say this so there's no confusion or misinterpretations. Kiryuu Zero will no longer be attending the Day Class anymore."

From the beginning of the assumed "dire" address, Yuuki's interest swayed away in bored-ness, but now she looked up with a new interest at the teacher's words.

"He will be, instead, transferring to the Night Class." Many voices broke out at this point stating various things about the sudden news.

"Kiryuu? No way. Isn't the Night Class for _smart _students only?"

A small laugh was contrived in reply to that remark. "Yeah, really. He's not exactly the brightest one."

"He's always late and having to take supplementary classes all the time."

"Hey! With Kiryuu gone, we'll be ale to get better glimpse of the Night Class!"

At this last comment, many of the Day Class girls idiotically giggled at the pleasurable thought of it. Pleasurable to them, anyway. But these voices soon drowned in Yuuki's mind as she dismally stared at the board of her desk with lowered eyes, as if dazed phantomsly.

"Hey…Yuuki?" Yori cautiously said as her eyes dimly narrowed at her phased friend. "You all right?"

"H-Huh?!" Yuuki exclaimed as she darted her lowered glance upwards as if waking from a dream. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine." She smiled nervously, feigning yet another smile, but trying to ease Yori's concern for her.

"You and…Kiryuu-kun are pretty close, aren't you?"

"W-What? Uh…yeah. I guess." She slouched in her chair, gripping her knees underneath her desk, trying to succumb her mixed emotions that she wanted to spurt out on the vehement matter.

"Are you going to miss him?" Yori said quietly, in a soft manner as she tilted her heard at Yuuki's downward gaze.

"…Yes." A shadow seemed to encase Yuuki's troubled expression, fading slowly into nothing, becoming…empty.

Dusk. The scene of a far-away sky being painted with bright, flaring strokes of gold and orange like swirling embers, alighted. After having to stay afterwards for supplementary classes, Yuuki immediately procured her duties as a prefect, as soon as the unglamorous studied ended. She rushed over to the Moon Dorm as quickly as her legs would allow her in a hurry. For, it was _that _time. The time when the elegant Night Class makes their departure from their Dorm at twilight to proceed to the school building where their classes were held in session. As mentioned before, they were advance, highly intellect studies, with the vampires acquiring the choice to stay as long as they desired to attend. As soon as she reached the building, she saw that it was nonetheless, packed with the Day Class girls already, as usual. The Day Class girls admired and greatly admonished the beautiful vampires with such respect. Probably more respect than what the vampires even deserved. Yuuki sighed at the sight of the crowd, then gritted her teeth and pushed her away through the boisterous girls. Could she really control all of the hustle and bustle of the crowd alone? Without Zero? She had to. She stood amidst the front of the crowd, ordering everyone to back away, wielding Artemis carefully. All of the floundering girls reluctantly obeyed the prefect, with such short tolerance that Yuuki could handle. Then, they opened. The gates. The hinges swung slowly as the squealing of the crazed girls increased rapidly. They all randomly shouted out the name of the vampire they adored the most, as Yuuki rolled her eyes at the desperate, idiotic behavior. Yuuki concentrated her eyes on the opening door, with timid feelings of loneliness, as the two doors finally came to a standstill. The vampires emerged from the open space with seemingly graceful movements as the still excited shouting of the girls remained. Yuuki's dark eyes scanned the crowd of the vampires as they walked past her and down the pathway, and, as the very few remaining of the crowd came out, her eyes fell as she saw leaving the Moon Dorm very lastly, Zero.

Zero walked behind the very last of the vampires, as he seemed to be looking away with a distant gaze. Eyes that are harboring hidden secrets that whispers in the deep of the night. Melancholy, softly, quietly. His footsteps moved slowly, almost as if hesitantly, as an aura of cool, calm and collectiveness wavered about him. Many of the love-stricken Day Classs girls became silent as they saw the appearance of Zero. Strangely different to see him amongst their beloved Night Class. Yuuki also resorted to a silent demeanor as her steady eyes never once left Zero. And then, their eyes met; as if almost fated. The now Night Class student Kiryuu Zero, and the still guardian prefect Cross Yuuki. Zero's face seemed to flush in a slight tint of red embarrassment as Yuuki held back a stifling giggle.

"All right. I can do this." Yuuki thought to herself as she took a few steps towards Zero, her boots clacking on the marble stones. "Things are still going to be the same between us." She put the best kind of smile she could possibly conjure upon her face, as she approached Zero in a couple of minutes.

"Zero!" She called out, trying to sound cheerful. She stopped and stood a few feet in front of him, as he looked back at her with a blank expression.

"You don't look so happy!" She titled her head as she twisted her arms behind her back, connecting her hands in a folded position. "So, how is it?" She asked in a low voice. "Being in the Night Class…"

"Yuu…ki." Zero replied slowly, his speech stuttering. "I…" he looked away swiftly, his silver hair obscuring his serious face.

"Huh…the uniform really suits you, eh?" Yuuki patted his shoulder lightly of the new pure white uniform that Zero now wore, still smiling with a forced conviction.

"I-I don't know…" He looked back at her with a doleful expression.

"Zero…"

"Are you…how you can be…happy…"

"What?"

"No. Never mind." He took her hand that she still gripped his shoulder with gently, as he removed it and let go immediately. "I have to go now." He took a few steps past her as Yuuki still only stood there quietly.

"Yuuki…" Zero spoke that one last word, her name, in such a soft tone that Yuuki barely even heard him. Then, she could distinctly hear the light footsteps of Zero walking away, without even looking back once. An increasingly large gap formed between the two, issuing a riddle that could not be deciphered. The riddle of asking in its taunting verses if their relationship would ever be the same again. To dissipate…that fractured piece of an empty, hollow…lonely feeling, that was embedded deep within the hearts of each of them. Feelings of affection locked up in iron cages; desperately searching for the key to unlock them free.


	4. Fourth Night

On a side note, I finished writing the fanfic last night. (Yaay!) So it won't be a fic that was unfinished…or something. I estimated that there'll be a total of roughly 10 chapters. So, please stay with it till the end! I much appreciate the reviews I've gotten so far, too! ^-^

Also, the new prefect, my OC (original character) will be in the next chapter. Hope that didn't ruin anything…just thought I'd point out, since it's sort of a major thread intertwined with the rest of the story.

**Fourth Night**

Yuuki commenced the rest of the prefect duties alone, and with some small difficulty, as it was hard to patrol the whole academy grounds by herself.

"But that's right…Father said that his…nephew would be taking Zero's place." Yuuki remembered this vividly as she patrolled the grounds where the Moon Dorm was. She stopped and looked at the building where all of the vampires currently were; taking their studies. With a sinking heart, she realized also that Zero himself was now in that building, like a vampire that he was. Her calm eyes narrowed in with the dark of the night, weariness shadowing her face.

"Well I think I can spare some time." She stately turned her back on the building swiftly. "I'll go ask Headmaster about that new prefect again."

As soon as Yuuki strode across the grounds of the Moon Dorm, and was nigh just about to leave, she ran into someone most unexpectedly, or perhaps, maybe just a little unexpected.

"Good evening, Yuuki." The voice that Yuuki loved the most called her name, like a pleasant whisper brushing against her ear. She turned her back as she saw, leaning back against a tree in perfect composure, holding a book opened between his two hands, Kuran Kaname; the gentle vampire who had saved Yuuki from a near death experience ten long years ago.

"K-Kaname-senpai!" Yuuki jolted in surprise at his sudden appearance. The vampire clamped his book shut with a soft bam, as he apprehended Yuuki with long strides. He smiled most warmly at her, as Yuuki, like always, felt small and flimsy compared to this elegant being.

"How're your duties?" Kaname asked.

"T-They're all right." Yuuki answered in a stammer nervously.

"Do you miss Kiryuu?"

"Eh? Zero? I…" Her eyes lowered somberly. "Yes."

"I'm sorry, Yuuki."

Yuuki's eyes darted back up.

"On Kiryuu's behalf."

"Kaname…senpai. I-I'm fine." She contrived a small smile to reassure. "Zero…he agreed to go anyway, so—"

"Kiryuu…" Kaname repeated his name as if with disdain of it's very existence.

"Huh?" Yuuki titled her head.

"Just talking out loud." Smiled the vampire. "Well, excuse me now. I must be keeping you from your duties." He suddenly placed his hand on Yuuki's cheek softly. Yuuki felt her face flush once again with a rosy blemish.

"See you." He released his hand in a gentle manner as he walked past the awe-stricken Yuuki; gone within a flash mysteriously in the vast night. Yuuki's eyes gazed steadily upon the small white crescent moon, as a breath of a sigh escaped from her body. She then continued on her way of her quest of seeking the Headmaster's audience.

* * *

"Ah! Yuuki!" The headmaster exclaimed most happy as his daughter stepped foot into his office quietly. "What brings you here?"

"I…I just wanted to know about the new prefect…" Yuuki stuttered taking a few steps into the warm room. It felt refreshing to her as the night's coldness nipped at her skin bitingly.

"Oh...yes. My nephew." The Headmaster sat at his desk as his elbow rested upon the surface, twirling a pen in his other hand lazily.

"Does he know?" Yuuki asked. "About the Night Class..."

"Yes, he does. He's thought about coming to Cross Academy in the past, and when I asked him if he'd like to be the new prefect, he accepted."

"He supports your pacifist ideology, Headmaster?"

"Yes, yes. He does. And I think he'll be a good, reliable prefect. Not that Kiryuu-kun wasn't." he added hurriedly, nervously. Yuuki did not say any more as she only stood there with clenched firsts and a melancholy expression.

"Kiryuu-kun was our family, huh?" The Headmaster remarked quietly with a settle smile. He stood up from his chair and gazed out of the four-paneled window.

"I…I still don't understand _why _though." Yuuki said presently. "It isn't like…Zero. To suddenly enter the Night Class without making a big fuss over it. He'd never agree to that. So why…"

"Kiryuu-kun had his own reasons. He would not even tell me. He…was the one who suggested of his entering the class himself."

Yuuki looked at the Headmaster with surprise strewn in her face. "Z-Zero offered…?"

"Yes." The Headmaster now turned around, leaving his gaze out of the window behind. His face was serious. Quite a drawback of it's usual sarcastic expressions and antics.

"But don't worry, Yuuki. It's nothing you did. Kiryuu-kun…he actually said to me on the night we told you of this matter, that to make sure that you'd still be safe from his absence."

"Zero…did?" Yuuki spoke like one who was just deceived into believing a lie of false trickery. She felt a warm feeling grow within her chest from the mention of those few words as she suddenly felt that small hidden love for Zero grow also.

"Zero…" Yuuki smiled to herself as she realized the kind caring concern for her that awkwardly dwelled within him. She looked back up at her father, smiling now timidly.

"H-He doesn't need to worry about me. I'm fine." She pivoted on the heel of her boot, swiftly executing a turnabout. "I should get back to my duties."

"Yes. Sorry that you have to perform them alone by yourself for a few nights." The Headmaster drearily remarked with a sullen face.

"It's fine." Yuuki turned the door of the knob. "See you later." She abruptly left the room in a flash second, as the door shut with a soft resounding clack. The Headmaster stood there amidst in his office, as he undoubtedly knew that Zero's sudden disappearance still dismayed Yuuki inside greatly. And he could not help but feel the small emotion of slightly missing the serious, placid, former prefect also. It was like Zero had become a necessity for both of them in their lives. Even if they, or at least the Headmaster, did not realize it.

The week passed by slowly, very slowly, as Yuuki still diligently embraced her duties; alone or not. But every night, at twilight, when it was time for the vibrant Night Class to emerge from their Dorm, and enter outside to lavish forward with their studies, she always felt nervous and unkempt. Because he, Zero, was there now. She still could not fully grasp this new, seemingly deceitful, concept that fell upon Zero. They spoke little. Many little words to each other, like they were just minor friends partaking in a light conversation. But "minor" was something that Yuuki knew that their relationship was not. At least, before their former relationship before Zero was sent amongst to the vampires. Vampires...those creatures that Zero had so coldly labeled as "beasts in human form." He resented and hated them. Always. Even if it was hating himself, too. Yuuki knew of the loathe that Zero held deeply against these creatures, and for that, she could still not discern the fact of why he would insistently step forth among them. But the tiny fact that naïve Yuuki knew the most with absolute certainty, was that she did, whole heartedly, miss her friend, her "partner", Zero; like a clinging leaf still holding it's own against a mighty wind-whipping storm, refusing to be separated from the vine. Yes, she could never let go of Zero. No matter how strong the wind provoked it, and no matter how much the hefty storm rebuked it. Zero was the most important…person to her. This she realized faintly, as if almost reluctantly. Even more so important than the mysterious pureblood vampire, Kaname.


	5. Fifth Night

**Fifth Night**

Yuuki strode across the shadow-casting grounds of Cross Academy in the dim, dreary night, wielding Artemis with minor carefulness. She wondered what Zero had done with his weapon; the anti-vampire Bloody Rose gun. Surely he would not bring it with him in the Night Class. Zero was not that stupid so as to arouse such a ruckus among the other vampires. But still, she could dismally see him still carrying it with him unaware of all the precautions. A smile representing small laughter elapsed from her lips. Her mind began to aimlessly wander with reminiscing thoughts of good, old memorable times, as, suddenly a voice disrupted her avid remembering,

"Where might I find Headmaster Cross?"

Unaware that anyone was even here, for she could not feel their slight presence, she jumped back unconsciously, startled, her body reacting on it's own to the sudden shock. She regained her stance for a moment, cleared her head, as she saw standing in front of her now a dark figure of a person. She could hardly see them amidst the very faint moonlight, but she could distinctly distinguish the figure of a young man much to her own age, it seemed; or rather, closer to Zero's age.

"He's not a vampire…" Yuuki concluded to herself with stern eyes as she gripped Artemis tighter in her firm hands.

"Don't worry I'm not an enemy." The figure spoke in a calm, kind manner. They raised both of their hands up as if rejecting an offer or request that was thrust to upon them. And, just as Yuuki had deduced, judging by their voice, it was indeed a young man.

"I am Headmaster Cross' nephew. Rather, he is my uncle."

"Y-You're his nephew?!" Yuuki exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, I was supposed to arrive tomorrow morning, but…"

"So you're…you're going to be the new prefect?" Her voice undetectably faltered.

"That's right. How did you know?"

Yuuki faintly caught the hint of a smile on the person's moonlit-bathed face as she realized now that this was the person who…who would be replacing Zero. Her eyes lowered in the dismayed realization of this as she eased her grip on Artemis.

"Ah, I see. You're Headmaster Cross' adopted daughter, aren't you?" He spoke again in a friendly tone, as Yuuki looked back up at him with a meek expression.

"What was it…?" He paused retaliating in thought for a moment. "Yuuki! Right?"

"Y-Yes…" Yuuki replied with a wayward smile as she knew undoubtedly that the only way he could possibly know her name of it was because the Headmaster—her semi-crazed feather—had told him "all about Yuuki! My sweet little Yuuki!" His overly loving voice rang through her head with these words as she slumped her shoulders and composure at his fonding demeanor for her. Not that she resented it as anything bad or ungrateful for it. But simply…embarrassed for it, so to put it plainly. Noticing Yuuki's silent, meager reply to his words, as she was thusly spaced out as described above, he spoke once again, this time in a reproachful manner as if most humbly apologizing for a great crime,

"I-I'm sorry. I must have caught you off guard all of a sudden…"

Yuuki shook her head, retreating back to the world and current situation. "N-No! My mind just wandered off for a minute." She timidly smiled. "I can take you to the Headmaster."

"Would you?" He smiled with a bright smile once again. "Thank you very much, Yuuki-san." He bowed his head for a second, then looked back up and rubbed his head, smiling nervously this time.

"I'm afraid that I don't know my way around the school grounds…yet. And well, it _is_ dark out here."

A small laugher of reply at his remark escaped from Yuuki's lips. "Yes, I can imagine. Well, we'll go, then." She pointed with her finger towards the right of them. "Headmaster's office is over in that building."

"I see. Thank you, once again."

"He's so polite…" Yuuki thought to herself with an awry glance. "I didn't know that the Headmaster even had a nephew…"

They both began walking steadily, silence making it's debut for a few unsettled minutes.

"You're the other prefect, right?" The young man, yet-to-be-named, asked presently as the rhythm of two pair of feet resounded quietly on the stoned floor; nearly to the main academy building now.

"Ah…yes." Yuuki answered with convicted politeness.

"The other prefect was…Kiryuu Zero-kun…" His voice lowered at the mention of Zero's name spoken, as Yuuki noted this small tint with confusion of his sudden change of tone.

"Y-yes. Zero was…" She stopped walking, not wanting to talk about the grievous subject much, as they both stood in front of the main academy building. Yuuki's heart sank deeply in a controversy of wilted hope, as her mind knew the full realization that Zero really was gone. A new prefect…in actuality, she hated and despised the very suggestion of the act. No one could ever replace Zero for her.

--

"Well you've already met, but I'll introduce you to him again."

Yuuki, the Headmaster, and his nephew, all now stood within the office of the Headmaster, facing each other in a circular aerial. The Headmaster jolted one finger at his nephew, who stood by his side, across from Yuuki, as he reintroduced him once more for his oblivious daughter,

"His name is Reitsu, my nephew…which I'm sure you already knew, of course. And…" His voice lowered to that of a somber restorment. "…the new prefect of the Academy. In place of Ki—" He paused suddenly as he noticed the empty face that Yuuki displayed. Saying Zero's name in front of her would be trivial; considering the hardship it pushed onto her.

"Well that's it." The Headmaster smiled brightly, so as to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "Please get along."

"Thank you, uncle." Reitsu said in that calm, polite tone of his. He looked at Yuuki, who appeared as one who is stricken with hearing horrible news. "Yuuki-san."

Yuuki returned his eyes' gaze as she smiled in return back, trying to seem as if not conflicted with Reitsu's appearance; and role of becoming the new prefect. "You can just call me Yuuki. I don't care for honorific formalities too much."

"All right…Yuuki." A wispy smile obscured his lips. "And you can just call me Reitsu."

"Awww!!" The Headmaster exclaimed lovingly, resting his hands over his face with glistening eyes. "You two get along so well already!"

"H-Headmaster…" Yuuki said slowly, raising her hands in a rebuking manner, so as to away those…revolting words. Reitsu chucked quietly at the behavior of the two, as Yuuki feigned a smiled and sighed within herself.

"Well, I should get back to patrolling." she said.

"Yes, go ahead, Yuuki." The Headmaster acknowledged as he sat at his desk now, scanning through an assortment of papers that stacked it also endlessly.

"Reitsu." He raised one eye out of his reading of his papers, directing it at his nephew indolently. "The night's almost over, so I'm sure Yuuki is capable of finishing off the patrolling herself tonight. You can just rest up." He stood up again, his chair creaking in doing so. "I'll give you Kiryuu-kun's old dorm room; he lived by himself, anyway, so—" The door suddenly shut in a loud vibrant sound, interrupting the Headmaster mid half-way between his explanation.

"Yuuki…" He said with a wearied sigh. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything about Kiryuu-kun in front of her…"

"Kiryuu Zero-kun…" Reitsu said as if in deep thought, a strange placid cold tone weaving itself into his words.

--

I wonder if Zero would forgive me for not making him an appearance in the past two chapters…? D: But don't worry…he'll be in the next one. ^^


	6. Sixth Night

**Sixth Night**

A hollow, icy wind wafted itself past a frustrated Yuuki as she strode over to the Moon Dorm; still deceived by loathe at Zero's departure and now Reitsu's appearance…

"I don't want anyone to replace Zero." She adjusted her eyes to perceive the dark night as she rubbed her arms to lessen the cold and sighed melancholy. Puffs of breath resonating with the cold proceeded with her sigh.

"Reitsu…" Her thoughts were suddenly interjected with a pause as she saw approaching her in a furtive manner amidst the mysterious darkness, a lone figure. Just to ensure safety against anything unexpectedly occurring, she gripped Artemis once more, and brandished it against herself, ready to take anything head-on. She was just about to open her mouth to challenge the stranger with a call of requirement, until, when the stranger came into full view, and the monochrome streaks of the moon rained down…she saw that it was none other than Zero. Ever since he had entered into the Night Class willingly, he and Yuuki had barely even chances to talk at all. It nipped at Yuuki in a lonesome feeling of resentment, meekly making her realize with an unwanted notice that things really_ had_ changed between them.

"Z-Zero!" Yuuki exclaimed in surprise, raising her iron weapon down slightly. "What're you…"

"I'm on an errand." Zero answered in his usual tone of voice, so casually with his distant eyes looking dismally away from her. A small smile of relief touched Yuuki's lips at the thought of it; nothing right now is changed.

"An errand…?" She fully raised Artemis down now. Knowing with pure knowledge that it was unnecessary; Zero would never harm her…and Yuuki knew it wholeheartedly. "Hm…Zero following an order." she smiled teasingly. "Usually Zero's the one giving orders!" A small, silent laugh contrived from her statement as Zero looked back at her for a moment. Accompanied with the pale sheen of the moon's light, and the ominous wind wavering about in strokes like being delicately painted, Yuuki thought Zero really did look much different than usual. Especially now in the elegant uniform of the Night Class…reflecting white and silver glamorously. He really did now look like a vampire…as the realization of this made Yuuki feel strangely frightened and out of place; nostalgia swirled within her, trembling.

"So what are you on an errand for?" Yuuki asked, forcing a bright smile, trying to start a conversation so that she could talk to Zero again…like always before.

"I needed to get a book…" Zero said in a low reply with a glance looking away from her now. "…for Kaname-sama."

"A bo…ok." Her speech broke oppressively, her eyes forming into one resembling someone who had just acquired the hearing of incontestable news.

"K-Kaname…sama?!" Yuuki repeated on an impulse, her voice quivered.

"Yuuki." Zero said in a soft tone, seeming to always say her specific name with a gentle kindness. "Kaname-sama is a pureblood. Have you forgotten…?" The wind howled within his brief pause. "I'm a vampire." Zero's words struck at Yuuki with menace…as if deliberately intending to crush and hurt her; bending her with it's evoking taunting.

"Z-Zero!" Yuuki shouted, even unexpected to herself. She clenched her fists as silver tear raindrops flowed from her dark eyes streaming down her pallid cheeks. "Where are you?!"

"Y-Yuuki…" Zero's amethyst eyes glinted with uncertainty at her sudden reaction.

"Where's…Zero?! Where's the Zero…" her voice faltered as a cry elapsed itself into her tone. "The Zero I know…" Her gaze blinding looking down, as if stunned and unable to stand any longer. Weak with the vehement feeling of breaking. Her body flinched as she felt a sudden warm, fervid tight embrace encase itself affectionately around her. She heard Zero's calm, lucid voice…that seemed to comfort and elude her pain.

"I'm still here, Yuuki."

Yuuki's eyes widened for a quiet moment, slowly, slowly, taking in Zero's whispering words. She felt as if her mouth had clamped itself shut; rebuking her from speaking in reply.

"Yuuki…I…I really am sorry…" He now pulled away from her in embrace, but still kept his hands on her shoulders gently. "Because I've made you so sad…" His fingers brushed past her pale face, gingerly wiping away the tears that were strewn within it. The expression that Zero's face displayed on his face seemed to chant in anguish over and over again…two simple words: _I'm sorry. _Words asking, seeking…desiring forgiveness overwhelmed him as Yuuki felt pangs of guilt volt through her as a devious hate invited itself into her cunningly.

"No! Zero! I'm…sorry!" Her voice finding speech again shouted out in utmost rejection and seemingly desperation.

Zero smiled wearily at her. "Then quit acting sad."

"I—! I…" Her body began to violently tremble again, a flurrying whirlwind of a thousand emotions all swirling within. "I can't…I cannot not…be sad." She paused. A breath expectedly waiting to be released…a great lunge surging in deep pitiless water. "I…I…love…Zero." To her own surprise, as if her body had reacted on it's very own instinct, Yuuki, finally spoke those long harbored words just above a whisper. Everything became silent. A dark shadowing cloud veiled itself over the glimmering illuminated moon, as the two faces were encased in the dark; hidden in it's oneness with it. But still, Yuuki could feel Zero's warm hands still upon her thin shoulders in a quiet, unspoken action of never wanting to let go.

* * *

Yuuki's face flushed. She was sitting in class, next to Yori, as a dry, lecture was being commenced; resonating throughout the room with it's dullness.

"Yuuki." Yori whispered with her hand covering half of her mouth. "Are you all right? Your face is red…"

Yuuki, who was blankly staring downward at her scribbled notes, jolted her head up as if in shock. "I-I'm fine!" She whispered back to Yori, smiling nervously whilst rubbing her head.

"If you say so…" Yori replied suspiciously, as she turned her attention back to the lecture and intently resumed listening to it's constant flow of words; like the good, studious student that she was. Yuuki looked back down with a seemingly troubled gaze as she remembered what Zero had said to her last night. After she had said…_"I…love…Zero." _

Those three words rang through her again in a noisy clamor, which made her face blemish with even more red.

"Ahh! I _cannot _believe I said that!" She closed her eyes and laid her head down onto her desk scornfully, and sighed. Yes, after what Yuuki had…said without any mental knowledge of speaking it, Zero only stammered,

"G-Good night, Yuuki." Then released her shoulders in a flash, and proceeded walking past her naturally. Though, in the dark, Yuuki could not discern the expression that betook Zero's face in reaction, or whether his face had, too, also flushed in timid embarrassment. Yuuki knew that her's did after she had said those words, which, she was quite glad that Zero could not see it amidst the dark shadowed reflections.

"What ran through Zero's head after I said that?" Yuuki pondered.

The lecture seemed to apparently come to a pause—or end—as Yuuki looked up now with a new interest. Her dreary, sleepy eyes resorted into that of a small surprise of enlargement. For, standing in the front of the classroom, unexpected to Yuuki, stood Reitsu. His very appearance seemed to revolt Yuuki in some strange way; a revolt with displeasure and ill premonition, a cold chill tingling down her spine. It was not that she particularly disliked him. But the very fact that he would be working by her side now as a prefect instead of Zero beguiled her disdainfully.

"This is Reitsu. He's Headmaster Cross' nephew." The teacher spoke, introducing Reitsu to the class. "He will be the new prefect also, since Kiryuu is gone."

"…_Kiryuu is gone."_

"_Kiryuu Zero will no longer be attending the Day Class anymore."_

"_Yuuki, he will replace Zero as the second prefect of Cross Academy."_

"…_Kiryuu-kun will be attending the Night Class."_

Something jumped. Inside of Yuuki. All of those hateful words that she utterly detested and wished to dispose of their realism caused a tremor to erupt inside of her frail body. Without caring about anything at all, absolute zero, she stood up from her desk with a loud bam, as all of the notebooks and textbooks and writing utensils spilled onto the ground, creating even more sound in unison with the bam.

"Cross!" The teacher called after Yuuki as she unwillingly cared about his warning, and ran. Ran out of that horrid classroom, ran away from those distasteful words, and ran away…from herself. Bitter agony finally broke. Those locked in feelings of rejection broke inside a sorrow-rendered Yuuki.


	7. Seventh Night

**Seventh Night**

A compulsion of sudden agony spread throughout Yuuki as she aimlessly ran out of the school building. She hadn't the faintest idea of where she was running to, but she could no longer take it. She could no longer mindlessly sit there and hear words speak of Zero's departure over and over again. No. Yuuki felt as if would lose her very own sense all together. She buried her weary face into her trembling hands, lost and unsure of what anything meant anymore.

"I-I'm losing it…" Yuuki thought to herself as grief knitted into her brow. "I'm scared. I don't know what to do anymore…"

She peered through an opening between her two fingers as the sun blindly projected into them. She removed her hands away from her face now as she raised one arm over her forehead; to elude the sun's radiant brightness.

"I didn't know…that Zero leaving like this would make me so…sad."

Her gaze slowly lowered downward, with trouble caressing into them. She stood there silently, unmoving, alone. A restless debate of an indecisive controversy welled up inside of her mind. She just wanted things to go back to normal. With Zero. With everything. A sudden resolve seeped itself into her debate as she now looked up with a strong face, as if cleansed from any melancholic thoughts. She smiled slightly. Without a care in the world.

In a few mere minutes, the Moon Dorm, the dorm of the vampires, vividly captured it's presence in front of Yuuki's still firm eyes. It was strange, she thought, coming to the dorm during the sunny bleaked day; because the dorm felt like a normal dorm. Not one that was accommodating a couple dozen vampires inside it's bowers. However, at the night, now that was quite a different matter. Yuuki had been on the grounds of the Night Class only a few small times before. The auras she felt wavering in the wind and very atmosphere of it always seemed to frighten as if acting on it's own will. She slowly walked to the doorstep of the dorm building with caution. The doors creaked in a screeching tone as the two doors opened on either side. Yuuki peeked half of her timid face in nervously, grasping one side of the doors lightly.

"No. I can't turn back now." She agreed inside of herself as her eyes furrowed into one's displaying determination. Then she took little steps, step by step, into the richly furnished hall of the vampire's dorm. The wealthily carved majestic-ness of the hall did not strike or faze her with wonderment. She's been to the dorm plenty of times in the past; so she was pretty accustomed to it's appalling elegance.

"But what do I…" Yuuki's hands folded together in a notation of nervousness as she held them up close to her lips. Her eyes now revealing a strange fear. "Why do I feel scared? Is it because…that Zero is here now?"

Her thoughts were interrupted as, to her surprise and slight tint of annoyance, she saw a glance of bright blonde hair and blue marble eyes appear before her now.

"A-Aidou…senpai." Yuuki said with a long face of expressing disdain at the witty vampire's encounter. Not that she particularly disliked him, but because she had had quite a bit of…unpleasant experiences with him in the past.

"Yuuki!" Aidou happily exclaimed, seeming less like a horrific vampire. "What brings you here?" Cunningness flooded into his face as Yuuki unconsciously took a few steps back; wishing that she had Artemis with her now.

"I-I came to—" Yuuki began stammering with a nervous smile.

"…See Kaname-sama?"

"N-No! No…it's not…that…"

"Then…?"

"Z-Zero." She looked down gripping her hands together in front of her as if anticipating a severe punishment.

"_Oh_. Kiryuu." Aidou bluntly remarked. "Everyone was so surprised that he came here about a week ago."

"Y-Yes. I—"

Hey, Hanabusa!" A voice called out from one side of the room, interrupting Yuuki between her stammering statement. Aidou and Yuuki both turned their heads to the direction of the voice as they saw Aidou's cousin, Kain Akatsuki. His light orange-yellow hair pounced wildly upon his head; a dull expression fleshed out the features of his face. An expression clearly stating, "I really don't want to be here."

"Oh, Akatsuki!" Aidou exclaimed, taking a few steps near him.

"What're you doing?" Kain asked as if suspicious of the two of them being alone.

"W-What do you mean?!"

Kain's lazy, sleepy eyes drifted over to the now timid Yuuki. "Why's Cross here?" His eyes sharply glanced back at Aidou with a menacingly flare. "You weren't breaking any rules again were you, Hanabusa?" Ominous tone of a low voice lowered over Kain's words.

"O-of course not!" Aidou, clearly offended, retorted in a fluster of his arms.

"Then?"

"She says she's here to see Kiryuu." He jolted one finger behind himself at Yuuki.

"Kiryuu?"

"U-Um…" Yuuki said slowly, thinking it was about high time she included herself in the conversation. "I'm sorry to suddenly intrude on you guys in your dorm, but…"

"Kiryuu's probably asleep." Kain unintentionally interrupted.

"O-Oh?" Yuuki looked surprised, but deep down, she knew of it's realism. The realism that Zero would now sleep during the sunlit day, and embrace life at the moonlit night…like a true vampire. But Yuuki stubbornly refused to accept it's reality. She contrived a small, weak smile, trying to appear as if not conflicted with Kain's statement.

"T-That's fine! I'll just…talk to him later." She swiftly turned her back on the two vampires; a clack of her boots resounding on the marble floor.

"If you say so…" Kain yawned, rubbing his ruffled hair.

"Hey, Yuuki…" Aidou called after her quietly as she was just about to leave the dorm. "You haven't talked to Kaname-sama much lately, huh?"

A very, unnoticeable small smirk made it's way onto his face. Yuuki did not know how to reply, as the truth in those words convicted her sorely with pain and slight guilt. Yuuki silently left, without answering. A shadowing feeling of missing something lost formed inside of her forlorn heart. Trouble caressing into her lowered eyes.

Yuuki knew that it was true. What Aidou had deceitfully chanted behind her in a low voice whilst she took her leave. She really had not spoken to Kaname much ever since Zero's entering into the Night Class baffled her. Zero was the only person she thought of lately. In the past, this would have aroused a question within her mind, but now she could discern the answer easily.

"Because I love…Zero." She whispered to herself. "I…I could never hope to be with Kaname ever. But even if I could…" Her eyes dimly narrowed at the brightness of the sun as she stepped outside of the dormitory and it's grounds. "I…I would still want to be with Zero." The conclusion of this was so easy for Yuuki to resolute.

"Yes…I only love Kaname in that of admiration. But Zero is different." A small smile strewn into Yuuki's kind face.

"Zero…ever since you first came to the Headmaster and myself…I always felt so much grief for you. I…always…wanted you to be happy. I tried to smile and be cheerful everyday so that you…" A pleasant wind furred past Yuuki, pleasingly calming her in some strange, vague way. "So that you could smile, too."

The blueness of the azure sky painted with white, soft clouds and a serene gentle breeze flowing in harmony with the petals of flowers, eased the pain within Yuuki if only for a short time. Admitting her true affectionate feelings for Zero to herself seemed to lift a great burden off of her back. A weight that appeared to hover over her for years…but now that she finally resolved all of these questions, and calculated a solution for these emotions, that weight gradually lessened.


	8. Eight Night

**Eight Night**

"I wonder if I should go back to class…" Yuuki thought to herself as she now stood on the campus near the Sun Dorm. Recapping earlier her reaction to Reitsu's appearance, and running out of the class so suddenly, must have come off as rude. Rude to Reitsu, anyway. Yuuki punished herself inside and felt dumb for doing such a thing.

"But…it was like my body reacted on it's own." She sighed at the complicated issue of the matter as it caressed wariness into her face. "And on top of that I went to the Moon Dorm…if I…if I was really able to speak with Zero…I wouldn't have even known what to say…"

In her mind she resoluted to just return to class, but as she turned on her way to do so, she was suddenly intruded by a person she most not rather see right now, Reitsu.

"Oh, Yuuki!" Reitsu exclaimed surprised upon seeing her.

"I-I was just heading back to class…" Yuuki stammered, her voice distantly trailing away.

"But it's over."

"A-Ah? Is it? I must have lost track of time…" She forced a small smile.

"You don't like me, do you?" Reitsu bluntly remarked with a blank expression; as if reading Yuuki's very thoughts.

"What are you talking about?" Yuuki answered in the best of polite tones. "I—"

"Because of Kiryuu…"

"Zero…?"

"You'd much rather have him being a prefect instead of me."

"T-That's—!" Yuuki objected in reply, but then abruptly stopped. The truth in Reitsu's words about the statement could no longer be denied, she knew. Her head tipped downwards at Reitsu's speculation, feeling somewhat ruder than before.

"But he's a vampire now." Reitsu spoke again.

Yuuki looked back up.

"A beast in human—"

"Don't say that about Zero!" Yuuki interrupted sharply, as she already knew what he was going to say, regardless that Yuuki let him finish his sentence or not. "You know _nothing _about Zero! At all! So…so…" Her voice wavered and faltered as she felt her lip quiver.

"I'm sorry." Reitsu empathically apologized, looking away from Yuuki. Yuuki's dark eyes narrowed at this person with such disdain; but she tried to conceal her emotions the best she could so as to not appear cold and unsentimental towards him.

"I'm going back to my dorm." Reitsu turned his back to her now. "I'll be at the gates at twilight…" He strode away as a bitter feeling of remorse welled up within Yuuki. She could not place it with exact precision, but she somehow got a strange chill from just being around the Headmaster's nephew…Reitsu. An icy chill resonating through her body with a strong intention of desiring to accomplish an unknown goal.

"Reitsu…" Yuuki said to herself with downcast shadowed eyes as she watched him depart from her. "I…get a bad feeling from him."

Yuuki had not spoken much with Zero ever since she admitted her true feelings for him. Therefore, while her and Reitsu stood near to the doors that the Night Class would be departing from soon—and while a good several dozen of excited girls crowded around them also—she could not help but feel slightly nervous. Anticipating Zero's arrival from that door with all of the other vampires…she kept wondering with timidly of what his reaction was that night when she told him.

"But…it's _Zero." _Yuuki sighed to herself with discontent. "He might just act like nothing happened at all, but…" The hidden realism that delved deeply into this statement was that of Yuuki wanting Zero to mention the sudden event. To sway forward their relationship…not leaving it at an unrequited standstill; the problematic solution being computed into a single sum. Yuuki glanced at Reitsu out of the corner of her eye as he stood there with a moderately tempered expression. Still…she could not help but feel nostalgic; wishing that it were Zero by her side right now. Just like old times. Her attention and thoughts drifted back to the present as the two large doors projected open slowly. Like some kind of usual, daily drill, the girls of the Day Class enthusiastically crowded around the preceding vampires with much joyment. Yuuki noticed that Reitsu was indeed quite helpful with helping of dissuading the girls floundering. He acted as if he had been doing this all his life; no worry or trouble ceased into his face and eyes. He performed the duties with a blatant expression, without displaying the difficulty of the task. Yuuki wondered if maybe her biased judgment on him already was a bit too precautious. Like maybe she was wrong about him seeing unreliable. In some aspects, he was even more reliable than Zero himself. Yuuki hesitantly noted and accepted this fact. But her insight on the controversy faded to the back of her mind, as she saw—like usual, every evening—Zero, the last vampire to leave the dormitory grounds. Most of the other vampires had already gone on their way towards the school building, as the Day Class girls began to decrease one by one, disappointed that their elite students had to depart for the night. Taking this small chance, Yuuki strode over to Zero, hoping to ignite a brief conversation before he left with the others. Zero saw her coming, as he stopped walking for a moment and waited for her to approach him. Yuuki felt strangely nervous as each step brought her closer and closer. She knitted her hands together in exasperation behind her back, twisting her fingers anxiously.

"Z-Zero!" She called out in a raspy voice, convicting a demure smile. She came to a half a few feet away from him. Zero looked at her with eyes that are the keeper of secret afflictions; a shadow seemed to pass his face, but then vanished quickly.

"I-I know you have to go, but…" Yuuki stuttered, for Zero still had not opened his mouth once to speak. "B-But I…"

"Don't tell me you're worried about last night." Zero sighed with a weary, but kind, smile.

"E-Eh?!" Jolted Yuuki as she felt her face flush floridly just as fast as the jolt.

"I know what you…what you meant." Zero's gaze looked away, his silver hair flowing over his mysterious eyes. "I know that you love me, Yuuki. But I know…" He looked back at her now as Yuuki was slightly amazed at how easily and plainly he was able to resort those words, those tedious words, into simple speech. Tedious words that Yuuki had trouble saying herself. She almost envied his simplicity.

"But I know that it is love of only a family-like affection."

Yuuki stared back at him with a blank expression, as her face fell. Those words produced from Zero's lips…were not the words she was yearning to hear. She was stricken sorely as she could not conjure up anything to say in reply.

"Because I know that you love Kaname-sama."

"Don't call him Kaname-_sama!_" Yuuki yelled as if in agony upon disbelieving horrid news. Zero was quite taken aback at her sudden exclamation. A hint of a harsh tone entered into his voice as he whispered ominously,

"Is it because you love him? And are jealous of me calling him Kana—"

"No! That's not it!" She puffed in small breaths from the sudden shouting as a creeping despair crept into her pallid face. She looked at Zero with such firm eyes displaying honorable courage as she said in a strong voice,

"It's because it doesn't sound like Zero anymore. Not the Zero I love." The words this time proved easier for her to muster; and Yuuki did not feel the slightest bit hesitant or nervous to exploit them. The key of the caged affection now unlocking so easily…so freely, without bearing any shame on it's wings.

"Y-Yuuki…" Zero said slowly in a quiet voice; feeling almost foolish for jumping to such a conclusion. He unnoticeably moved his hand forward towards Yuuki in a small gesture, but then pulled it back sullenly as his face now became more serious. He narrowed his eyes behind Yuuki at the most unexpected—or perhaps unwanted—person to impose upon the two. Yuuki noticed that Zero was dimly staring behind her as she turned her back to inquire who or what it may be. Her face became like Zero's in reaction, but only a much lighter, softer expression obscured her's.

"Reitsu…" She said, not slightly fazed by his sudden appearance.

"Night Class students should be going on their away to class…" Reitsu said coolly, his quick eyes drifted to Zero in a flash like a rushing, winding breeze. "Isn't that right, vampire?" His eyes seemed to scan Zero with disdained malice, as Zero only stood there, tying to fight back the urge to flare up at Reitsu's uncanny comment.

"Kiryuu Zero…"

"A-All right!" Broke in Yuuki between the two. She felt the atmosphere suddenly resort into that of a stifling one with daggers being thrust against the two involved. As if becoming a new person with a calmer caliber in a mere second, Reitsu's tenacity lessened as he smiled brightly and exclaimed,

"Ah, I'm sorry. I guess that was pretty rude of me to address him by such a name."

Zero only looked away saying absolutely nothing. But Yuuki could tell that this was only his typical behavior when he admitted an agreement or standstill amidst an argument or feud.

"Well, then." Zero trekked past the two with his hands in his pockets collectively; acting as if nothing happened. "I'm going. Yuuki…" His speech broke off with an unfinished sentence as Yuuki anticipated on what he might say. However, he did not say any more, as she bluntly suspected, as he went on his way; leaving behind the two prefects and an embery gold twilight sky.


	9. Ninth Night

**Ninth Night**

"Ahh! _Stupid _Reitsu!" Yuuki angrily shouted inside of herself with a throttle of raged emotions. "Zero was just about to say something important to me when _he _suddenly showed up!" She crossed her arms sullenly. "And it might have actually been something serious, too!"

Her brow furrowed together into that of an annoyed scowl. The visage of her face subsided into a more settle expression as she sigh, still slightly dissatisfied, and let the whole idleness of the matter pass. Yuuki stood upon the dew sprinkled grass, normally executing her prefect duties. The moon was vivacious with a soft lilting light that seemed to make the dew sparkle prodigiously. She and Reitsu had separated momentarily for the time being to commence the duties evenly. Yuuki grimaced at the haggardness of the duties as she vigorously patrolled the grounds judiciously.

"Reitsu…" Yuuki said to herself as if with careful caution. "He seems to look at Zero with such disdain. Does he really support the Headmaster's ideology? He doesn't seem to particular like or dislike vampires…"

But the more these thoughts and predictions of Reitsu intertwined elusively the more they made Yuuki feel lost and confused. Regardless of all that though, the night proved peaceful without any strife or mischief being conjured. Or so Yuuki had determined with relieved ease. However, unbeknownst to her, a dark shadow lurked behind her with a crave of lust in it's eyes. Unaware to Yuuki, as she turned to leave the grounds, a cold wind that bit her maliciously with a morbid intent whipped past her. The wind felt as if a hot iron was being pressed to her skin—so intensely hot, that it felt so bitingly cold. Yuuki felt a pang of fear shiver down her menacily, for now standing before her in the dark of the night, was a creature with lust-colored eyes, and a frightening aura that followed it.

"A—vampire?!" But Yuuki had no time to think further as she suddenly felt a sharp object prick her cheek. She winced from the anguish of the pain as she desperately tried to wield Artemis. But just as she pulled it out in a flash of a second, a strong hand swiped past her crudely; knocking the iron rod out of her flimsy grasp. The vicious vampire—for that is what it was—protruded in front of her now at it's full height. That gaze that all vampires seemed to possess of a thirst for something sweet conversed into it's own eyes. Yuuki felt terrified with shame as she also mentality felt that she could not stand up to the ravenous beast. The vampire lurched at her as she closed her eyes to chastise away the unbecoming event. Expecting to feel a surge of pain sink it's fangs deep into her, she but only heard a loud bang as everything became utterly quiet and still. She slowly opened her eyes, ready for anything else, but the only thing her terrified eyes saw was dust billowing at her feet. She knew in an instant that that was the distasteful remains of the vampire.

"Yuuki!"

Yuuki penetrated her gaze in a spectral drift upwards as she saw Reitsu standing there a few yards away—projecting a gun exactly like Zero's anti-vampire one in front of him. She heard a clack of the weapon being put away as Reitsu now stood close to her.

"Are you all right?!" He asked anxiously, a very small tint of concern entering into his voice. Yuuki felt that she could not answer, still quite shaken by the blinding occurrence. But she only managed to nod her head vaguely, darting her eyes back down to the dust at their feet.

"What—" she began inquiring in a trembling quiver.

"It was a Level-E."

Yuuki looked back up at Reitsu as those words produced from his speech. As if in disbelief of rejecting the statement, she scoffed in an oblivious reply, kicking the dust away from her,

"That's _impossible. _A Level-E couldn't get into the school."

"Yeah, but it _was." _Reitsu said quietly. "And it was a student of the Day Class—see?"

He bent down and lightly indicated at the uniform of the Day Class with a single finger. The black and gray lines of the plain uniform's appearance lay within the dust as Reitsu had dictated. He stood up and dusted his hands, picking up the uniform in the process.

"We need to tell the Headmaster." He turned his back on the dust as Yuuki silently followed his steps.

"It _had _to be a former human." Reitsu remarked, their feet plodding in unison through the pitch night. "None of the vampires here were or are former humans—they're all high aristocats. So that means…a student of the Night Class turned this ordinary human of the Day Class into a vampire."

He paused as if waiting for Yuuki to say something in mere objection, but when she only remained mute, he continued on saying in a low voice,

"And the only ones capable of turning humans into vampires…are purebloods. And the _only _pureblood in this whole academy…is Kuran Kaname."

* * *

Yuuki could not deny the veracious matter. It was, is, true. Kaname is the only pureblood vampire in the whole accommodation of the Night Class. In addition, the person, the wretched human who fell victim to the vicious Level-E state, really was a Day Class student. But Yuuki did not want to believe the trickery of this deceiving lie. Kaname would _never _do anything such as that. Yuuki had firm trust in that fact. But a thread of doubt sewed itself into her trust; a thread she felt ashamed of, and wanted to dispose of it quickly.

"Kaname-senpai…" Yuuki said to herself with a bereavement face as her and Reitsu no stood in front of the Headmaster's office door. Reitsu swung open the door and strode in totally unfazed, Yuuki, on the other hand, walked into the room as if she were being sentenced to be executed. The Headmaster looked up surprised from his assortment of work piled onto his desk.

"Yuuki! Reitsu!" He exclaimed as his glassed-eyes noticed the dreary, dull colors of the uniform in his nephew's hands, a question forming within them.

"Headmaster…" Reitsu conferred slowly. "There was a Level-E on campus just a few moments ago."

"Ah…I see."

"…But you already knew that, huh?"

"Yes." The Headmaster stood up now with a rather serious face. He opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly thrown off of the intention as Yuuki yelled out,

"It wasn't Kaname!" Veracity danced in her eyes with embery flames. To Yuuki's surprise, the Headmaster only replied calmly in a quite voice,

"I know. At least…" He paused and looked briskly away. "I _don't _want to believe that it was him."

"H-Headmaster…y-you're implying that you…suspect him?!"

"There are other possibilities." Reitsu suddenly interfered. "It could have wandered in from outside the aca—"

"Impossible." The Headmaster interrupted flatly. "It was wearing a Day Class uniform; and it's inevitable to be able to get in through the gates so easily."

"But what if…what if…" stuttered Yuuki as she narrowed her eyes in deep thought of a conclusion. "What if they were bitten _outside _of the academy by another pureblood, then enrolled into the academy, and—"

"That's impossible, too. We would have known if he were bitten and being changed into a vampire before we would allow him in the Academy."

"But…doesn't it normally take years for the transformation to go complete?"

"You're thinking of Zero, eh? It varies. Zero just happened to be able to withstand the vampire instincts for years. Whereas…it can only be a few days or weeks in some instances."

"You sound like you're _trying _to make it appear as if Kaname is the culprit!" Yuuki shouted angrily, swiftly turning her back in a foreboding manner.

"Yuuki!" The Headmaster called after her as she turned the knob of the door harshly. "Where are you going?!"

"To ask Kaname myself! I'll prove that he's innocent!" The door slammed with such a strong conviction as if Yuuki's very dissuasion on the matter was locked in there. She earnestly attempted to prove that this case was just an unjust accusation.


	10. Tenth Night

**Tenth Night**

Yuuki approached the Moon Dormitory in a matter of minutes, in regard of her hasty strides. The tenacity that Kaname was indeed innocent wallowed inside of herself with lethal honesty. However, she could, no matter what, deny that a lot of facts and evidence did match up. She did not want to believe, either, that it was Kaname. The doors of the vampire's highly rich dorm came to a halt as Yuuki stepped in cautiously, but still with strong efficient determination. Her eyes darted about the place as she realized dumbfoundely that all of the vampires were in class.

"I should have just gone to the school building…" Yuuki punished herself with a sigh of discontempt. "I wasn't thinking straight…I guess I'm just so enraged about the whole situation."

She pirouetted on one foot, leaving the furnished room behind her in a flash, and strode out of the dorm yet again; making her way out of the dorm grounds with quick movements. It was quite difficult for her to find her way in the dark with all of the looming shadows and lurking figures. But Yuuki had been patrolling these grounds for a few small years, so she had grown quite accustomed to it and its surroundings. She paused briefly and scratched her head, pondering upon which direction to take for a second, when her glance caught sudden sight of two figures standing upon the wet dewed grass. She pursed her lips and felt for Artemis, then made her debut towards them, shouting reproachfully,

"It's prohibited to wander around campus this late! Even if you're of the Night Class, class is in session right now!"

She could not distinguish the appearance of the two quite perfectly, but she narrowed her eyes dimly so as to inquire who it may be.

"Z-Zero! Reitsu!" Yuuki gasped as the appearances revealed themselves like a cloud uncovering the moon; wholly visible. And it was, as Yuuki dictated, Zero and Reitsu. But the position that the two were in quite startled Yuuki as she could see hatred growing in their eyes. She caught a glimpse of Reitsu holding one of the academy's anti-vampire guns towards Zero's head; finger on trigger, ready to release at any given moment. Zero only stood there bitterly, not the slightest bit phased or shockingly bewildered. Without thinking, and as if her body acted on it's own, Yuuki grabbed Reitsu's arm in a pinch, holding it tightly, as the she shouted defiantly,

"What are you doing, Reitsu?! Lower the gun!"

Reitsu did not answer or even look at her as Yuuki felt a placid chill run down her spine yet again. But eventually, reluctantly, he pulled the gun away from Zero's head as he lowered it to his side slowly.

"W-What were you doing?" Yuuki stammered in a frightened voice as she let go of Reitsu's arm.

"Zero?" She spun her head as her dark hair swayed, looking at him intently; excepting an explanation that was embedded into her stern gaze. Suddenly, Yuuki felt Zero grab her own arm roughly as he pulled her away from Reitsu, and held her close next to him carefully.

"Stay away from this guy." Zero spoke in a low voice in reply to Yuuki's confusion of his abrupt action.

"Oh, you've seen my true identity, huh? Kiryuu Zero." Reitsu said with a smudge grin. But the tone of his voice of which he now spoke in sounded different to Yuuki—much different from his usual, settle cheery tone.

"I guess there's no choice." He sighed as he once again held the vampire gun to Zero's head.

"No! Reitsu! Don't!" Yuuki yelled, gripping Zero's arm tighter in horror of this unexpected chain of events. "Don't shoot Zero!"

"Kiryuu Zero—once I pull this trigger, I'll finally have my vengeance." Reitsu now spoke in a calm tone, but his gaze that penetrated through Zero flared with intense ferocity.

"V-Vengeance?"

"That's right. Kiryuu Zero murdered Hiou Shizuka, and the vampire council refused to execute him properly."

"Shizuka again?!" Yuuki exclaimed in distaste.

"So it _is _all about that woman again." Zero said in a hollow voice as Yuuki could feel the growing annoyance and malice that glowered within him. An awry smile elapsed from his lips as his gaze lowered downwards. "So now you've come to kill me? But that means you're a pureblood then, huh? That isn't your true body."

"You're pretty sharp…but I guess this was the same method Shizuka used to get into the academy; it's quite useful. But you are right." He paused as Yuuki felt fear intrude on her with every passing second; this sudden outcome of events was sinking into an assundering nightmare.

"This really is Headmaster Cross' nephew's body, Reitsu. But my real name is…Tsumi Zannen…and you're right, Kiryuu Zero, this isn't my real body. Purebloods have the power of being able to reside in another's body for a period of time."

"Tsu…mi?!" Yuuki said shaken as her steady eyes bore through this now imposter with fright and bitter coldness. "I've never heard—"

"The Tsumi…" Zero interrupted; his sharp eyes never leaving once the vampire. "Are a very old family of pureblood vampires. But now they're nearly extinct, only a few handful are left."

The metal steel of the gun pressed more firmly against Zero's head as Zero winced from the icy chill that was delved deep into it.

"The Tsumi are nearly extinct because of _one _class of another pureblood family." The treacherous vampire of the Tsumi, said in a low voice; hatred could clearly be noted in his pallid voice.

"And that family…were the Kurans."

"K-Kaname?!" Yuuki exclaimed to herself in surprise.

"They nearly killed every last one of my family, but the Hious—another pureblood class—interjected in the midst of the feud, and put an end to the bloody dispute. They helped us, the Tsumi, prevail against the Kurans if only by a little. Hiou Shizuka was one of the last of her class, as am I."

He paused in his delicate explanation as a crying wind wafted past them; wavering the grass beneath their feet lamentably. Yuuki felt her head spinning from the tedious event, but it seemed to stop briefly, as she busted out loud saying,

"T-Then the one who turned that student into a vampire was you?!"

"That's right." The small laugh of one who is abhorrently infused with wickedness escaped from the Tsumi vampire. "I came here to kill…Kiryuu Zero—since the idiot of the council won't do it."

"But that's because Kaname told them not to." objected Yuuki.

"Exactly. And that is why also, I'm here to end Kuran Kaname's life, too. I was able to frame him for the whole Level-E incident."

"But why kill—"

"Because he's a _Kuran. _And because he helped Kiryuu Zero out of his execution. But now that I've been exposed…" he quickly darted his eyes to the frightened Yuuki, as Yuuki could sense the lust covered within his gaze.

"…I'll have to kill you as well."

Yuuki felt too jilted of the fear of his remark, that she wasn't sure how to reply or react. She only gripped Zero's arm tighter, so as to ease her defenseless. Her dark eyes, however, proved to be quick on one outtake. She frightfully saw the finger that the deceiving pureblood vampire held on the trigger as he pulled it back slowly…slowly…the image of it being released, and the image of her unknowingly evading the bullet by throwing herself in front of Zero, vividly never left her mind...

* * *

…I thought this was my weirdest chapter ever. =/ Well now my villain and all of his evil intentions have been revealed; next chapter will be the final.


	11. Eleventh Night

**Eleventh Night**

Yuuki could faintly feel the presence of cold steel pricking her shoulder menacingly. She was not bleeding…she knew that. But the pain of something bitingly icy piercing her skin…it almost appeared not worthwhile to go on living and endure it. Warmth seemed to seep into her body simultaneously though, as she could weakly open her eyes; like lifting a heavy boulder to lessen the weight. Like a picture being drawn with various things and settings, items and people, flooded before her hazy glance. She could distinguish the appearance of three people in the room of which she now took comfort in: the Headmaster, Kaname, and…Zero. Joyment of seeing them mixed in with confusion lapped itself into her. She opened her mouth to speak, but words conceived as infallible.

"Oh! Yuuki! Thank goodness you're finally awake!" She heard the delightful voice of her foster father exclaim with a hidden tint of relief.

"Nothing major would harm her." Kaname spoke with seemingly perfect eloquence. "She was only shot with an anti-vampire gun; so the sudden shock of its pain should subside in awhile. It only hurts vampires, anyway."

"I-I know that, Kaname!" The Headmaster stiffly proclaimed.

"Yuuki…" Yuuki suddenly felt a warm hand place itself over her forehead as she realized that it was Kaname. "How do you feel?"

"I—" She stuttered one word, but then recapped her thoughts for a moment, proceeding as thus,

"I'm fine." She smiled weakly. "You said the pain will disperse soon, so…"

"So you know everything, then, too? About the Tsumi…"

"Huh? Oh…yeah. Then…is it true? About the Kuran, Hiou…and Tsumi?"

"Yes, it is. But the vampire was taken to the Council—they'll decide what needs to be done with the wretched thing…"

Yuuki could sense the weariness in Kaname's face as she drifted her eyes about the familiar room—which, she now noticed that it was the Headmaster's private quarters. Her drifting glance soon caught sight of one person though, whom she desired to speak to the most.

"Z-Zero!" Yuuki called out in a small voice; still lavishing the anguish of the cold pain. Complacent Zero only turned his head slightly and looked at Yuuki with an undetermined expression of meekness. Yuuki thought for a moment, that perhaps he was angry with her for interfering so recklessly earlier. However, amidst in her swirling thoughts and assumptions, she felt a gentle hand alight on top of her tousled hair softly. Her gaze lingered upwards as she heard Zero's voice say in a coaxing tone,

"What you did was so rash, Yuuki." Yuuki prepared herself for another one of Zero's meager scoldings, but she was quite taken aback when he whispered into her ear in a lilting voice,

"But…thank you. It'd probably be…the end of me if you hadn't coincided with the bullet."

He pulled back away from her, removing his hand from her head in the process, as Yuuki could very faintly see the small hint of a wavering smile maintain itself on Zero's kind face.

"Z-Zero!" Yuuki stammered in a desperate call as she grabbed his hand quickly just as he was turning away. "Please…come back to the Day Class! P-Please…" her voice began trembling as she tried to contain it. "Please be a prefect with me again! It's so…lonely…without Zero…"

"You think it's that easy?' Zero spoke in reply in a quiet voice. His reaction quite assundered Yuuki as her expression became blank. She lessened her grip on Zero's hand very slightly; a barrier restricting her want for him to stay. Her face fell in growing disappointment, but was suddenly rendered surprised as Zero added to his beforehand statement,

"But maybe it _is_ that easy."

"Wha—" Yuuki began saying but then was interrupted by the Headmaster as he seemed to speak in a cheery tone,

"That's right, Yuuki. We've already decided that…Kiryuu-kun can return to the Day Class. And, also, resume his position of a prefect."

Sweet words that wallow within a precious treat filled Yuuki's ears as she almost unwelcomed them with disbelief. But she chastised that meander doubt away, as she looked back at Zero, inquiring if this was true. Zero only looked ahead with a small, seemingly pleased face, as Yuuki could not help but smile inside of herself with a vibrant sigh of pure relief.

* * *

That exhausting day traversed into an exhilarating day as Yuuki now felt cleansed of her small pain from the anti-vampire bullet. For once, Yuuki felt eager to proceed to her class, because of the sole reason that Zero would now be attending with the Day Class once again. And it was so. Zero apprehended the classes and studious routines like usual—Yuuki was glad, for she saw that being in the Night Class among the vampires did not changed him at all. Zero was Zero.

Fiery emblems of soft flames captivated the sky dauntingly in its radiant prowess. Twilight now rapidly approached once again; every evening in perfect synchronicity with the horizon sun. The whole day was bliss for Yuuki, an unending tranquility, as she anticipated the duties of the prefects—for, likewise in class, Zero would be with her once more. With time to spare, Yuuki took her time approaching the Moon Dorm, as the vampires would be emerging soon for their studies, when she ran into a most wonderful person in her eyes

"Kaname!" Yuuki exclaimed as her gaze met the elegant appearance of the pureblood. Kaname stood a little ways from the gates of the Moon Dorm as he steadily encountered Yuuki now in a matter of seconds.

"Yuuki…" Kaname smiled warmly at her presence.

"U-Um…the gates have not opened yet." Yuuki stammered.

"Oh, I left early because I need to speak with the Headmaster about an issue. Is that all right?"

"Y-Yes! Of course! I was just wondering." she smiled nervously.

A brief silence devised itself between the two, as Yuuki timidly asked,

"Kaname…about the Headmaster's nephew…"

"Oh, yes. The _real _Reitsu retrieved his body back safely."

"R-Really? I see. That's good. I…" she paused, pondering upon whether she should appraise this statement or not. "I guess it's kind of hard to tell whether that was the real Reitsu or not, huh?"

"It can be…the power of purebloods is quite beyond understanding."

"But Kaname's a pureblood…"

"Yes…that's true. But sometimes…" a mysterious tone seemed to enter into his voice. "Sometimes I do not understand my own powers."

Yuuki looked at him quizzically as he merely smiled once more and patted her head lightly.

"By the way, Yuuki, thank you."

"For what…?"

"You had faith in me all along when I was suspected of turning that student into a vampire. The Headmaster told me you did."

"O-Oh! It was no problem!" Yuuki reproached. "I…knew that Kaname wouldn't do anything like that."

"You think? Anyway, the others should be coming out soon. Thank you, too, Yuuki, for your hard work."

"It's not just me." Yuuki smiled waywardly. "It's Zero also."

"Yes, Kiryuu-kun. Well, I shan't keep you any longer." He swiftly turned walked past Yuuki as she watched him leave with a seemingly happy aura of satisfied content.

"Hey, Yuuki."

Yuuki knew that only Zero would address her in such a manner with no politeness at all. She whisked her back around to where she heard the voice.

"Zero!" she exclaimed happily. "So I see you're not going to be late today!" Secrecy of a smile resided with her remark as she took a few steps nearer to him. Zero did not say anything in reply, remaining mute; as he stood there with, like always, a calm atmospheric vibe wavering about him.

"Hey…Zero…" Yuuki said in a slow, quiet voice, her smile resorting to a fading disappearance. Her eyes flexed as she inspected Zero like seeking a hidden desire, troubled by it so.

"What—" Zero began saying in respect of her odd behavior, but was cut off shortly as Yuuki shook her head and resumed her smile.

"It's nothing. Well, come on." Her steps trekked past Zero in a hesitant motion, as Zero grabbed her hand just as she was passing him.

"Zero?" Yuuki inquired.

"What is it that you want to tell me?" He said in a soft tone of voice.

"N-Nothing."

"No, I can tell, Yuuki."

"I…I just wanted to know…" her voice became sober. "If everything…if nothing has changed between us."

"What do you mean?"

"Zero!" Yuuki wrenched her hand away as she turned around and faced him now. A defiant look marred her now sternly serious face.

"When I told you….I…loved you…d-did you _really _think I meant it as only a family-like affection?!"

"Yuu—"

"I don't love…Kaname like that at all. I love…you."

Yuuki felt her face grow hot as she declared those words. But she tried to keep a calm composure as her mind aimlessly wandered at what Zero's reaction would be. To her surprise, he merely grabbed her, enclosing her within a warm embrace in his arms. Yuuki felt startled for a moment, but only returned the compassionate embrace, as she fully well knew that Zero _did _understand her true feelings for him. The feeling of a soft kiss brushed against her lips, like almost before long ago, but this time, no hesitation intruded upon its unspoken term of affection.

Things did not change. But perhaps, some did. An indulgement of Yuuki finally becoming exposed to Zero's hidden love became that small factor of "change" between the two. Wavering emotions that finally decided to meet, and come to a firm standstill. A vampire and a human; it was like blood being poured next to the forbidden sin, but this, was no disputable concern to them that conspired maliciously to separate them. No. Being a human…a vampire…none of that mattered. At all.

**--END—**

**of, ~Blood Next To Sin~**

* * *

Finally, it's over!!!!!! It got tiring feeling obliged to upload new chapters every week, or twice a week. Considering the surprised amount of readers I got. I got a lot more than I imagined…and I'm very happy that a lot of people took the time to read it. ^^ This is probably my best fanfic….anyway, I wanted Zero and Yuuki's kiss to be at the very end. Putting it in the middle of the story was…eh…I just couldn't find a way to do it. I realized after I wrote the whole thing how much Yuuki I had in it. :P I just could never think up a scene where Zero was interacting with the other vampires—I'd like it to seem like he got along with no problems. I hated Reitsu…meh…he was just my villain, so perhaps I don't have much opinion on him at all…

I might write another VK FF soon. I have an idea, so I may start writing it after I finish some other fics I'm currently writing. It'll be like…KanamexYuukixZero, no specific pairings.

Once again, thank yoooouuuuuuu everyone for reading! ^_^ Now I have some peace of mind since it is finally finished.


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